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New language and leniencies
On Friday, March 20, Trinity Western University released the new “Community in Covenant” document, meant to update the current Responsibilities of Membership.
Notable changes include adjustments to the alcohol policy and the rewording in several sections.
While many big changes have been proposed, Kelvin Gartly, director of Community Life, emphasized “the implications of the document are still not in effect,” at last Friday’s Popcorn and Politics.
Changes to the R.O.M. and Student Handbook over the years
Undated, but headed: Trinity Jr. College
– The college has no desire to attempt to legislate concerning the off campus activities of those students who are living at home.
– Dating should be restricted to the weekend. Couples may be together until 12:00 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
– Students leaving the dorms overnight or for the weekend must clear with the Dean of Students beforehand.
– Women students making trips with men must have written permission from their parents and be accompanied by a chaperon approved by the Dean of Students.
1968-69:
– There will be a $5 fine for each unexcused absence from any and each class the last session before or first session after a holiday.
– You may be dropped from a course when the total number of unexcused absences exceeds twice the number of credit hours of the course in question.
– A voluntary attendance privilege is granted you if you gave been in attendance at the college for at least one semester and have achieved a G.P.A of 3.0 or more during previous semesters.
– Dating is restricted to the weekends.
– Marriage is not permitted during the school year.
1975-76:
– On Saturdays, feel free to wear Bermudas. For Sunday noon meal you should plan to wear “Sunday dress.” Please wear your cut offs and grubbies only in your immediate dorm area, not outside or in the lobby area.
1980-81:
– Members are required to refrain from use or possession of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and hallucinatory drugs.
– Members of the community must refrain from dancing.
– Sleepwear, swimsuits and gym attire are not to be worn at any time in the dining commons.
– Throwing water inside buildings is detrimental to community members and harmful to belongings. Violators will be fined a minimum of $10 plus damage.
1989-90:
– Permission for movies rated other than “General” must be given from the Director of Community Life. Forms for that purpose are available in the Student Affairs Office.
1996-97:
– Social dancing is not permitted on campus.
– Wear appropriate, inoffensive clothing in public areas on campus and be especially sensitive in warmer weather.
While President Jonathan Raymond has accepted the document, the feedback stage must now take place. Legal council needs to be sought as well, as the R.O.M. document is a legal contract, said Gartley.
Professor Robynne Healey sat on the committee that redesigned the Responsibilities of Membership document. “One covenant for all,” she said at Friday’s meeting. “The implications for this are exciting. Students have been confused about what rules apply to whom.” This document will serve as the covenant for staff, faculty and students.
“[This document] underlines what we uphold,” said Jason Brandl, Trinity Western University Student Association V.P. and member of the R.O.M. redesign committee.
Sheldon Leoppky, associate provost, commented that though not all members may have the same standards, an ideal can be reached. “We don’t all come in with the same beliefs, [but] there are very few people that take the call to challenge one another,” said Leoppky. “There are students who don’t know where they stand on these issues but are willing to commit to the standards of community.”
One of the most prominent proposed change is the alcohol policy. If passed, members of the TWU community will be allowed to drink, but must abstain from drunkenness and underage consumption of alcohol. “We’re making a distinction between problem drinking and responsible drinking,” Gartly said.
Seventy per cent of students who participated in a 2008 survey from TWUSA expressed negative feelings about the rules in place that did not allow a student to consume any alcohol.
Gartly feels the document “provides more opportunity for…transparency.”
An additional stipulation on the alcohol policy is that no alcohol can be consumed on campus or at any TWU-sponsored event.
There are some grey areas with this pre-requisite: “When does it become a university sponsored event?” was a question posed by Leoppky. “I have students in my home; by virtue of my presence, does this become a university sponsored event?”
Such questions will hopefully be figured out in the feedback period.
Leoppky said that some people were upset the committee did not include a wider sampling of the TWU community. “[However], we took student feedback really seriously,” Gartly added.
On Tuesday, March 21, TWUSA voted to officially support or reject the document. The results were not available as of press time.
From now until June 1 the conversation is open on this new document. You can submit your thoughts, questions, support or displeasure to TWUSA, or by emailing the office of the president at president@twu.ca.
Other notable changes include:
– Abstinence from hazing.
– The rejection of “legalisms that mistakenly identify certain cultural practices as biblical imperatives or that emphasize outward conduct as the measure of a genuine Christian maturity apart from inward thoughts and motivations”
– The encouragement to “pursue and promote sustainable patterns of sleep, eating, exercise, and preventative health, and sustainable rhythms of solitude and community, work and recreation, study, service and sabbath practices.”
– That “entertainment choices should be guided by the pursuit of those activities that are edifying, beneficial, and constructive,” and by a preference for those things that are “true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy,” recognizing that “truth and beauty may appear in many challenging forms and disguises, and may be seen in different ways by different people.”
Students can access the new document at http://www.twu.ca/governance/office/community-in-covenant.html; at http://twusa.ca/advocacy.php; or pick up a paper copy at the TWUSA office.
Our school is slowly slipping into the public perception of what it should be. What is right is not always what is popular. I am not impressed.
I believe the entire process that the Responsibilities has undergone (over the past few years) has been beneficial, not only for the document itself, but for the student body that has the opportunity to reflect and have say into the new Covenant.
I have read the new Covenant and I believe that it has no intention of telling students what is right and what is wrong, but is a starting point for dialouge about how we can support each other in our unique community.
I would commend those who prayerfully considered the creation of this new document and I believe that we should take the opportunities that this equitable covenant presents to live out our Christian lives inclusively.